When I taught, the hallways were our responsibility as the children were coming from outside into the classroom and when they were leaving as a group to go somewhere else in the building (e.g. gym class or the library). We also supervised as they were getting on their coats to leave school at the end of the day. At all other times, teachers were not to leave their classrooms, so monitoring the halls during the school day would have been impossible.

I think this argument about who's responsible for the hallways is kind of academic (heh), as it seems this varies from district to district and we aren't going to determine a One True Answer on this thread.

When I taught, the hallways were our responsibility as the children were coming from outside into the classroom and when they were leaving as a group to go somewhere else in the building (e.g. gym class or the library). We also supervised as they were getting on their coats to leave school at the end of the day. At all other times, teachers were not to leave their classrooms, so monitoring the halls during the school day would have been impossible.

This if I'm in the hall and see misbehavior I correct it. My job is to teach the kids I can't be expected to know what is happening outside my classroom, while I'm teaching.

I am sure this is NOT the situation in your DD's class, but very recently in the UK we had a high-profile situation where a little boy, who was being horribly abused at home, stole food from other kids' lunchboxes. I hope the head teacher handles this situation sympathetically.

WARNING: link contains distressing details and could potentially be triggering.

I am sure this is NOT the situation in your DD's class, but very recently in the UK we had a high-profile situation where a little boy, who was being horribly abused at home, stole food from other kids' lunchboxes. I hope the head teacher handles this situation sympathetically.

WARNING: link contains distressing details and could potentially be triggering.

My doctor wanted me to have snack before gym class to prevent a low blood sugar. My mother bought an industrial size box of peanut butter crackers and had it put in the gym teachers' office with instructions to give me one packet before class.

One day I went to get my allotted crackers and noticed half the box gone. I had only had about 5 packets total (out of a box of 60 packets). When I told my mother she called the gym teacher who told her sometimes the teachers "borrowed" some crackers.

Something tells me that no one thought that there was a "medical need" for the child to have the snack - they were just looking at "oh, I NEED a snack and nobody will notice if I eat just one" - then thirty-odd go missing in a matter of days.....and someone notices!

I don't think it matters in the least whether there was a medical need. It was not their property. They knew, or at the very least the gym teacher knew, that it was the student's property. I find it shameful that teachers steal from students.

My doctor wanted me to have snack before gym class to prevent a low blood sugar. My mother bought an industrial size box of peanut butter crackers and had it put in the gym teachers' office with instructions to give me one packet before class.

One day I went to get my allotted crackers and noticed half the box gone. I had only had about 5 packets total (out of a box of 60 packets). When I told my mother she called the gym teacher who told her sometimes the teachers "borrowed" some crackers.

Something tells me that no one thought that there was a "medical need" for the child to have the snack - they were just looking at "oh, I NEED a snack and nobody will notice if I eat just one" - then thirty-odd go missing in a matter of days.....and someone notices!

I don't think it matters in the least whether there was a medical need. It was not their property. They knew, or at the very least the gym teacher knew, that it was the student's property. I find it shameful that teachers steal from students.

I agree - it is shameful - but I also understand that ONE teacher looks at a box of 5 dozen snacks, they are hungry, they might not have change or time to run to the teachers' lounge, they don't know that there is a good reason for the student to have a two month supply of snacks on hand, and think that "nobody will miss just one".

But by the time several teachers make the same "I don't have time so I'll 'borrow' just one and nobody will notice" - there are thirty that have been stolen. The way it was explained to me as a child was that if you do this and you don't replace it no later than the next day, you can no longer claim to have "borrowed" it. If you replace it after your next trip to the teachers' lounge or go to the grocery store on your way home & get some for your own desk & replace the 'borrowed' one - then most people will cut you a little slack on whether you borrowed it or stole it.

But you have to return it (whether it is a snack, feminine supplies, paper, pen, or other personal supplies whether at work or school) promptly to keep it socially marked as "borrowing" instead of stealing or mooching shamelessly.

I can't help but wonder if the gym teacher even marked those snacks as being the OP's? For all the other teachers might have known, someone very generously presented the staff with an unexpected box of goodies.

I am sure this is NOT the situation in your DD's class, but very recently in the UK we had a high-profile situation where a little boy, who was being horribly abused at home, stole food from other kids' lunchboxes. I hope the head teacher handles this situation sympathetically.

WARNING: link contains distressing details and could potentially be triggering.

This makes me mad - why, did this not raise red flags with the school personnel?

Aren't Teachers mandated reporters in the UK? We have had 2 families of kids that acted like this - and for a while every year we had the administration explain to new staff the kids were now safe and getting the medical and mental health care they needed (including OT and PT at school )- and our school nurse was in the ER when one group was initially rescued. Nurse had to explain that kids that have been starved will eat until they make themselves sick. It is a tricky set of problems to negotiate how to give them back their control, helping them develop a healthy relationship with food, but keeping them from hurting themselves while they are learning.

Maybe they could try what my daughter's day camp did one time when a similar theft thing was going on...THey said that they had cameras but if the person turned themselves in before they looked at the video they would get a reduced punishment. The thief confessed....there were no cameras though..they bluffed. Obviously this would only work on littler kids.

I am sure this is NOT the situation in your DD's class, but very recently in the UK we had a high-profile situation where a little boy, who was being horribly abused at home, stole food from other kids' lunchboxes. I hope the head teacher handles this situation sympathetically.

WARNING: link contains distressing details and could potentially be triggering.

This makes me mad - why, did this not raise red flags with the school personnel?

Aren't Teachers mandated reporters in the UK? We have had 2 families of kids that acted like this - and for a while every year we had the administration explain to new staff the kids were now safe and getting the medical and mental health care they needed (including OT and PT at school )- and our school nurse was in the ER when one group was initially rescued. Nurse had to explain that kids that have been starved will eat until they make themselves sick. It is a tricky set of problems to negotiate how to give them back their control, helping them develop a healthy relationship with food, but keeping them from hurting themselves while they are learning.

So my daughter spoke with her teacher on Friday and some of her friends. Apparently there have been a few children who's lunches have gone missing. Now my daughter along with some other children have been leaving their lunches in the room with the teacher, instead of the hallway in the unlockers. Thank you all for all your help with the wording and suggestions. I'm very pleased with how the teacher and principal have handled this situation.